Care of the sick must rank above and before all else, so that they may truly be served as Christ, for he said: I was sick and you visited me (Matt. 25:36), and, What you did for one of these least brothers you did for me (Matt. 35:40). Let the sick on their part bear in mind that they are served out of honor for God, and let them not by their excessive demands distress their brothers who serve them. Still, sick brothers must be patiently borne with, because serving them leads to a greater reward. Consequently, the abbot should be extremely careful the they suffer no neglect.
Let a separate room be designated for the sick, and let them be served by an attendant who is God-fearing, attentive and concerned. The sick may take baths whenever it is advisable, but the healthy, and especially the young, should receive permission less readily. Moreover, to regain their strength, the sick who are very weak may eat meat, but when their health improves, they should all abstain from meat as usual.
The abbot must take the greatest care that cellarers and those who serve the sick do not neglectd them, for the shortcomings of disciples are his responsibility.
While typing this chapter I was struck by the two quotes from Matthew, the issue of taking a bath, and not neglecting the sick. The eating of meat I won't get into because that raises more hackles than almost anything else, which in a way, is a crying shame.
Passing over all the sixth century applications, and the enclosed/monastic applications, let us move directly to how this applies to the Lay Cistercian of today.
Care of the sick must rank above and before all else, so that they may truly be served as Christ, for he said: I was sick and you visited me (Matt. 25:36), and, What you did for one of these least brothers you did for me (Matt. 35:40).That is just as true now as it was when Jesus uttered the words. Recently in the forum there was a discussion about our prayer list, and how it should be run. It comes to mind only because of the quotes from Matthew, above. We can't visit the sick on the LCG prayer list, unless we are rich and have nothing to do but run all over the continent visiting those who are sick. We can pray for them, however. Prayer is medicine after all, for a people of faith.
This chapter is especially poignant for those of us dealing with aging and ailing parents -- and who isn't -- as time and finances are stretched to the breaking point. Some have no choice but to put their parents into nursing homes where they are forced to trust the staff to give their mother or father, some form of loving care. In our own group at least one faces that dilemma everyday of his life. That's just the one known to me, how many more are their who face that same problem and the rest of us don't even know about it?
As far as taking a bath is concerned, thank heaven we have running water (but for how long?) and can take a bath every day. The sixth century monk must have stunk. Again, the injunction against baths for the young would be an issue in a multi-generational monastery. After all, babies were given to the monastery to raise. Nothing will generate so much noise as a bunch of boys swimming in a pond.
Again, Benedict is showing us that practical applications of good sense, and a prayerful attitude toward all things in life, including the care of the sick, and not dumping them off in a nursing home just because they are inconvenient -- and I do not mean those who must have 24 hour medical care -- is not only good ministry, it is good Christianity.
Let the sick on their part bear in mind that they are served out of honor for God, and let them not by their excessive demands distress their brothers who serve them. Still, sick brothers must be patiently borne with, because serving them leads to a greater reward. Consequently, the abbot should be extremely careful the they suffer no neglect.May God bring us altogether to everlasting life.
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